Black Economic Empowerment - Waterproofing Africa, We Reign When It Pours

South Africa's policy of black economic empowerment (BEE) is not simply a moral initiative to redress the wrongs of the past. It is a pragmatic growth strategy that aims to realise the country's full economic potential while helping to bring the black majority into the economic mainstream.

Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) is a programme launched by the South African government to redress the inequalities of Apartheid by giving previously disadvantaged groups, black Africans, Coloureds, Indians and some Chinese of South African citizens economic privileges previously not available to them. It includes measures such as Employment Preference, skills development, ownership, management, socioeconomic development, and preferential procurement.

Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) is a socio-economic process that directly contributes to the economic transformation of South Africa, by increasing the number of black people that manage, own and control the country’s economy, and diminishing income inequalities.

"Since 1994 it has been tough for everyone, but our country requires an economy that can meet the needs of all our economic citizens – our people and their enterprises – in a sustainable manner," the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) says in its BEE strategy document.
"This will only be possible if our economy builds on the full potential of all persons and communities across the length and breadth of this country."